Enigma
by A.H.S. Stories
Summary: When a patient collapses on House in the clinic, can the team figure out whats wrong with her before it's too late? Chapter 2 complete now. Read and Review Please :
1. Flu Season

Disclaimer: Only Fox, Cuddy, and Gregory House own "House, M.D." Therefore, I am not making any money off this little expression of an underused imagination. (My pile of unfinished fics should prove that) Do me a favor, don't sue, I have no money. Reviews ARE welcome and encouraged however.

* * *

"Look, all I'm saying is, if you stayed an extra hour a week, it would be like getting a week free every month from your deal with Cuddy."

Doctor James Wilson emphasized his words with a meaningful stare as he leaned against the nurse's station for the clinic at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Crossing his arms, he waited for his friend and colleague to reply.

"True as that may be, if Cuddy gets wind I'm readily agreeing to spend more time with miserable, time-wasting liars, then she'll expect it of me; she'll just rewrite the terms." Shaking his head emphatically, Dr. Gregory House made a face of distain and shuddered slightly to emphasize his view. "No, I'll put in my four hours per week until she gets fed up with me and kicks me out of the clinic altogether; not a minute more."

Turning from the desk after signing out, House bore down on his cane and made his way through the crowded hallway full of clinic patients waiting to be seen. It was flu season, and the waiting room had been stacked two deep for most of the week. Today hadn't been any exception.

Sighing, Wilson hurried after him, shooting the charge nurse and apologetic smile, as she stood with the next chart in hand – proffered to the retreating department chair.

"House," he called, somewhat frustrated but mildly amused at the same time. His friend would have kept walking rapidly towards the elevator, pretending not to her, were it not for a young woman. At that precise moment, she came from the opposite direction, nearly crashing into him and causing him to stumble, despite the added support of his cane.

Irritated, House didn't even try to bite back the growl that escaped his lips. "It's only fifty points for the cripple in the video game version," he managed to spit out before Wilson caught up to their group again. "In real life there's no points meter…" Glancing down at this left arm, House took in the two sets of fingers that were now clenching his coat, only adding to his irritation.

"Never mind," he continued, his eyes still not seeking out the woman's face. "I'm quite sure I'm not going to come tumbling down now, so you're welcome to let go of me at any time."

House slowly drew his eyes up from his sleeve as his request went unheeded. One of his patented glares ought to do the trick, he reasoned. They could wither Popeye and the Jolly Green Giant in one fell swoop, except…

"Damnit," House swore softly under his breath as the woman's eyes faded and closed, rolling up into her head as her legs buckled beneath her. Having his good arm out of commission since it was still stuck in her two handed grasp, he could only watch as Wilson lunged to keep her from hitting the floor hard.

So much for getting out of clinic duty on time, he mused, as he called urgently over to the nurse for a gurney.

* * *

"You know," joked Wilson as he checked to make sure she was still breathing and had a pulse, "You might try honey instead of vinegar. The sick ones are especially sensitive to the difference."

House glared half-heartedly at his friend as he adjusted his stance to get off his bad leg. Sometimes, he mused, just being able to stand around all day made a man feel damned helpless.

"I distinctly recall saying 'Gurney', nurse" House's sarcasm oozed anew as the nurse arrived with a wheelchair.

"This is all there is Doctor," she replied, her eyes displaying the unspoken 'so you're just going to have to deal with it' that her tone hinted at. She remained - locking the wheelchair in place as Wilson carefully scooped the woman up from the floor. Luckily, it hadn't gotten bitter cold in New Jersey yet, so she had opted for layers and a scarf instead of a bulky coat. Even then, James was surprised at how light she was.

His eyebrows pulled together sharply though when he slid his hand out from between her body and the seat of the chair. Eyes widening slightly, his gaze met Greg's as he swiftly swung the chair around.

"Four's open," he heard his friend say gruffly, before he sent the nurse to find his interns. Things were going to get a lot more chaotic if Wilson's bloodstained hand was any indication, and they'd need all the extra hands in the clinic they could manage.

* * *

Feedback will spurn more chapters, so let me know if my attempt at a great teaser worked. :-D 


	2. Enter the Ducklings

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 (same as usual)

* * *

Chase, Cameron and Foreman all walked into the room less than two minutes after the head nurse had emergency paged them. By this time, Wilson and a nurse had managed to get the young woman onto the exam table. Quickly and efficiently, she was already halfway through changing the patient into a hospital gown so they could better assess and treat her. Hanging back in the corner, House started issuing instructions to his team while Wilson worked to revive the woman.

"Chase, get a blood sample for the lab. I want a CBC, Chem-7, type and cross-match for three units and a HCG level." Without moving his eyes from the patient, House continued, addressing the next doctor in line. "Cameron, see if you can find her intake records, a purse or family member out there. I want to know who she is and where she came from. Use the yellow pages to find family if you have to."

House paused only long enough for her to hurriedly exit the room before turning to Foreman. "Find me an ultrasound machine and draw up one half a c.c. Vitamin K, diluted for IV administration.

"Chase," he added, moving closer to the exam bed as he spoke, "get a line started, 18 gauge, before you bring that blood to the lab. And pick up a unit of O-Negative on your way back."

Nodding, the blonde doctor barely looked up from his task. Quickly bandaging the site just inside her elbow that he'd used for the draw, he grabbed the necessary supplies for the large sized IV that had been ordered as he carefully inspected her arm for a second, suitable site. Pursing his lips, he released the tourniquet for a moment; relocating it higher on her arm and smiling slightly as he found a vein he liked and nailed it on the first shot. Luck was definitely with them so far, and judging from the woman's ashen complexion, it would be needed. Hurriedly, Chase gathered the precious vials of blood he had collected and purposefully headed out of the room towards the lab. STAT was the word of the day, but he knew careless haste could cause major setbacks, so he treated the glass tubes with the caution they deserved.

* * *

"BP's 105/50, pulse 115," the nurse spoke to the doctors still in the room. Her deep focus and methodical care belying the urgency and intensity that rippled through the room.

Ashen colored throughout her body, the woman was still unconscious, despite Wilson's verbal attempts, and even when he resorted to jostling her shoulder's slightly.

"Estimated blood loss?" House queried as he flicked his pen light on and checked her pupils, leaning his cane against the bed while both hands were occupied with the task.

"I'm guessing 500 to 750 cc's in the clothes, and…" Wilson check the woman quickly from his location on a stool at the foot of the exam bed, "maybe another 500 so far vaginally."

Glancing down at the absorbent, blue "chux" pad beneath the patient, the nurse nodded her assent at the estimate. "She's still flowing freely," she added, bringing her eyes up to meet House's gaze.

"Begin uterine massage," he told her, turning to address Wilson while she complied, "Track down an umbrella packing from OB or the ED and get a surgeon ready in case we can't stop her bleeding."

Initial treatment interventions in place, House stepped back from the exam table and rummaged in the room's supply cabinet for a gown and fresh gloves. Things were definitely going to get messy in this room before the night was out, and he didn't have the inclination to have to stop at a dry cleaners with blood soaked clothes on his way home.

Any minute now, Chase and Foreman were expected back with phase two of Jane Doe's treatment. House had absolutely no intention of wasting a single minute of his time, and was already mentally planning the care options to present to the young doctors.

* * *

Thanks for the patience folks, here's the end of this chapter. For all those great folks who are wondering, 4 years of Nursing school has made the 'technical lingo' a little bit easier to incorporate into my writing. Anyways, hope you're all enjoying so far, a few more reviews should spurn another chapter. (Pass the news along, I know dozens of you read House fanfic :-p) 


End file.
